The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The White Worm

by Sam Siciliano

Sherlock Holmes and his cousin, Dr Henry Vernier, travel to Whitby, to investigate a curious case on behalf of a client. He has fallen in love, but a mysterious letter has warned him of the dangers of such a romance. The woman is said to be under a druidic curse, doomed to take the form of a gigantic snake. Locals speak of a green glow in the woods at night, and a white apparition amongst the trees. Is there sorcery at work, or is a human hand behind the terrors of Diana’s Grove?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Thriller, Historical

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2016

Reviews

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes and his cousin, Dr Henry Vernier, are called on to travel to Whitby to help unravel the mystery of the White Worm, who is said to curse the women of a distinguished family. Holmes suspects that something rather more natural than supernatural is at work and is determined to expose the murderous deception.

Siciliano's Vernier allows for a slightly different depiction of Holmes than Watson's and here the Great Detective is far more sympathetic of the people in trouble than in other stories. The homage to Stoker's lesser works can quite easily be ignored.

[Lele Montgomery · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what to think about this book. The writing style is a little bit strange, not really my thing and also the chapters were pretty long, took me forever to finish it.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siciliano is back with more blending of various authors!

Siciliano’s chosen author for this volume is Bram Stoker. It follows very loosely the text of Stoker’s “The Lair of the White Worm.”

Gentle giant Adam Seton hires Holmes to go to Whitby to investigate a mystery. Much like “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” the story starts with a legend passed down through generations of his girlfriend’s family. It speaks of a battle between the legendary White Worm and a knight of old, Sir Michael Marsh. Having defeated the White Worm, Marsh’s family becomes cursed. Every female in Marsh’s line was to become the host of the White Worm!

Diana Marsh lives in her home at Diana’s Woods with a very eccentric aunt. The aunt’s former husband committed suicide in the presence of his wife and his doctor. A lecherous old man lives in a nearby tower and has his eye on Diana. Another nearby estate is the home of Sir Nathaniel de Salis, who tells of druids or pagans who worship at a blowhole in the rocks. He states that they sacrifice to a large white worm…

As usual with Siciliano, the story is not recounted by Watson. In fact, Holmes is openly dismissive of Watson’s value as a companion. The tale is told by Holmes’ cousin Doctor Henry Vernier, who accompanies Holmes on “serious adventures.” Vernier’s wife, Doctor Michelle Doudet Vernier always plays a role in these continuing stories.

If you are willing to deal with Watson being sidelined, (at one point when the client asks if this is Doctor Watson both Vernier and Holmes answer “No!” simultaneously) you might find the stories enjoyable.

I will give kudos for the reveal of the “White Worm.” It was something that would never have occurred to me! And when you think about it, it is perfectly logical…

I give the book four stars.

Quoth the Raven…

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's FINALLY done!

I started reading The White Worm three and a half weeks ago for a reading challenge, and if I hadn't been using to fill a slot I didn't have an alternative for I would have put it down three weeks ago. The book is awful. The characters are dull and interesting, the plot is g l a c i a l, and the author uses their own OC as a replacement for Watson for no apparent reason other than to confuse readers because Watson and the OC, Venier, are functionally the same from both from a plot and characterization standpoint (married doctors of steadfast and fairly placid personality who follow Holmes around providing support and the occasional insight, though missing most everything else of importance). I really hope that this is an outlier because it was bad enough that I'm seriously reconsidering reading The Angel of the Opera (a Holmesian fanwork inspired by, as I'm sure one can tell, by The Phantom of the Opera).

[Veronica Freeney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love The White Worm but alas Sherlock Holmes without John Watson doesn't work for me. The plot looked promising - a mystery involving a mystical White Worm/ Snake- surely it would be a Gothic romp? I found Sherlock's new side kick, his cousin, Dr. Henry Vernier an irritating feeble character, whom the reader is supposed to believe is not only afraid of heights but also of blood and is unable to stomach the site of a badly decomposed body! It was all too annoying for this reader, bring back good and faithful Watson.

[Toby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unread shelf project 2023: book 25.

What a weird little story. Siciliano explained in the foreword that it was styled after another classic short story by Bram Stoker, which shared the same title. I’d never heard of it and honestly I’m not extremely motivated to hunt it down now, ha! Although I may do so at some point, as I loved Dracula and I enjoy the excessive drama and doom & gloom in works by Stoker and his contemporaries.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really entertaining Holmes adventure. In Mr Siciliano's books, Holmes and Watson's friendship has faltered, and Holmes shares his adventures with his cousin Henry, who is also a physician. the plot was well put together, and though I had guessed at motive and perpetrator before the end, it was not very far before the end, and there were still a few surprises. An entertaining read.

[Kay Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book started a bit slowly for me, but once it picked up I did not put it down. I missedWatson, but found the cousin of Holmes to be a good substitute. The villain is evil and it was a very good ending. I would read another Holmes book by this author and plan to.

[Ryan Hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has occasional dalliances into the sexual realm, but the story was fantastic. My only complaint is that Holmes told us the answer! Although I eventually figured out the whole truth, I think it would be better to keep us guessing

[WhatShouldIRead]

Unlike a previous book by this author, I did not enjoy this one. I found it slow going, some dry passages and drawn out. The story did not engage me though I tried. The idea was a good one but ultimately not interesting enough for me to continue to finish.

[Calvin Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

Struggles to be a 3. About 100 pages longer than the story was worth made for some rather tough slogging at times. Lacked the mysticism of the White Worm movie I recall as well.

[Fred Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story in the New Adventures series. Crazy people abound in this venture and Sherlock actually asks for help!

[Naridhi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is horrible.

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

1. Having not read the author's previous Holmes stories I don't know why he opted to shuffle out Dr. John Watson and replace him with also-a-doctor, also-a-chronicler, also-a-voice of reason character Dr. Henry Vervier, but it's not a change for the better. The character is boring and spends a remarkable amount of time whining about how frightened he is and how much he misses his wife.

2. I felt like I was three-quarters of the way through this before anything remotely interesting happened, so much of the read was a bit of a slog.

3. The book finally resolves when one character confronts the reality of his masturbation problem and realizes he's still a manly man even though he flogs the bishop regularly. Which, admittedly, is not territory the world's only consulting detective has covered before in my reading.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I admit, I am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes'adventures and was very pleased when I heard that there were some new books including him as a main character. This is my first Sam Siciliano's book, but definitely, won't be the last.

This adventure of his starts with a visit from a client. A young man who is going to be married soon receives a letter as a warning for his future marriage. His fiance is a lovely charming young lady, but there is a curse that runs in her family for many generations. Once upon a time, there was a giant white worm that tormented the people in the area. Until one day one man defeated it, married and had children on that same property. But there was the curse, always something bad happened to the male members of the family. It was the punishment for the man who defeated the worm. The young man loves his bride-to-be but is also scared that something bad would happen to him. So he asks the great detective for help. Sherlock and his cousin Dr Vernier travel to Whitby in a place called Diana's Grove to solve the mystery of the white worm.

I am very sorry that I don't see the very famous Dr Watson here as Holmes' assistant, but his cousin Dr Henry Vernier. No need to worry, Dr Vernier is quite good in his role, I just miss Dr Watson. He is smart, kind, friendly character that many people find as great advisor and true friend. Also, another character is included, Dr Vernier's wife, Michelle. She is very much like Mary, Dr Watson's wife. She is a beautiful, wise and brave woman that can perfectly stand on her own feet with no help from a gentleman. A woman that even her husband admires.

There some other characters included, like the young man who hires the detective, his charming fiance and her eccentric aunt and their neighbours. Each one of them is unique and everyone is a suspect in Holmes'eyes. What hides behind the legend of the white worm, the great detective shall discover.

And it won't be a Sherlock Holmes story without the presence of the best detective himself. Deductive as always, with his one of a kind charm, Sherlock Holmes can not be lied and wooed with simple tricks. He seems naive, but he is far away from that. After all, he is the great Sherlock Holmes.

For all the fans of the great detective, Sherlock is back! Sam Siciliano did a great job bringing him and his adventures back on the bookshelves. Don't miss his latest adventure and join him solving the mystery of the white worm. You will enjoy, I know I did!

[Claire Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth Further Adventures work by Sam Sicilano, all of which feature Sherlock with his cousin, Dr. Henry Vernier fighting crime. Like The Grimswell Curse and The Angel of the Opera, The White Worm is based on Victorian literature, in this case The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stocker. I've always thought the strongest elements of Sicilano's works were his development of his own original characters, the Verniers and Violet Wheelwright.
I was hoping that this work by Sicilano would be a continuation of his previous work, The Web Weaver, where he had developed his own plot and cast of characters. Rather than that, Sicilano takes from Stocker's work and sends his characters back into a Baskerville like situation. The writing clips along, though Holmes is not the focus. The back half of the plot is superior to the first half, which moves along slowly. It is definitely not the best of Sicilano's Further Adventures stories, though it is worth a read. The novel plays with the idea of sexuality in Victorian times and what it means to be a 'man', as well as the role that women could play in their own lives. It follows the typical Victorian/romantic/gothic plot of an ancient monster that doesn't really exist.
Overall, I would give it 3/5 stars. It certainly isn't the best of the Further Adventures series, but Sicilano carries it off in the end with dialogue and theme work. Worth a read if you're looking for a slightly different Holmes novel.

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, but found the mystery a little underwhelming. I didn't like the fact the murderer was relieved before the concluding moments and I found it quite an unsatisfactory result. Although the ending was sweet I found there to be moments of the novel that didn't really feel like Sherlock. For example the revealing the murderer quite early on, and also the plot was quite unresolved. For example, the white worm figure that appeared at night was not satisfactorily resolved or discovered. Also, the motives seemed quite lackluster. Arabella's thought process seemed quite illogical, and there were moments in the latter part of the play that felt slightly rushed. Furthermore, Adam's reluctance to be with Diana to me did not seem fully realistic. I know the times were different, but I had hoped his reasoning would be more intriguing. From the moments the killer was revealed the plot lacked some suspense. I think the novel started off well, but slowly dwindled.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. Slightly predictable but entertaining still.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always attracted to Sherlock Holmes stories, even those written by people other than Arthur Conan Doyle. This series of the Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes connects Holmes with another story, often another piece of literature or historical event. This particular novel sends Holmes and his cousin, not Watson, to the area near Whitby where a giant prehistoric white worm has been spotted. Inspired by a pretty silly Bram Stoker novel, the worm is actually an older term for a dragon or sea serpent. Holmes of course does not believe in the supernatural and is able to solve the mystery behind the worm and a rather seedy bunch of semiDruids who sort of worship it. It's perfectly okay and the ending is incredibly melodramatic. Perfectly acceptable reading for a plane ride.

[Brad Washburn · Rating 1 out of 5]

If this was a regular book about a mystery in the English countryside I would give it a 3 stars. BUT, this is supposed to be a Sherlock Holmes adventure. There was no essence of the great detective in this book. It might have well been a story about "Bob and John going to the English countryside." It didn't even have John Watson in it.
The Sherlock of this story didn't have any of his characteristic drive or arrogance. There was very little inductive reasoning or startling observations about other characters in the story.
If you like Victorian realism, this might be a book for you. If you are a reader of Sherlock Holmes, read one of the classics.

[Robert Kidd · Rating 3 out of 5]

New Sherlock Holmes is better than no Sherlock Holmes and while not a bad story it did seem just to go on too long. Siciliano is a good writer and he does well in capturing the Holmes' mystique but it just seemed like the story went about 50 or 60 pages too long. A fun read and if you are a true Sherlock fan you should find it enjoyable, I just felt like there should have been a little more.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, I like how the author has Holmes cousin telling the story rather than having Watson being the one always telling the story. He gives a different look at Holmes, one that is total opposite way of looking at things. Holmes still applies all the logic and deductions of the Doyle the Holmes, but with a different understanding to Sherlock Holmes.

[Michael D Keen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me guessing to the end

Each Sherlock Holmes story that Sam Siciliano writes is better than the previous one. I am so looking forward to the next novel. The character development is excellent. A different side of Holmes comes across in this story. It makes him more real, more human. This is a novel that I definitely recommend to anyone interested in a good mystery.

[Susan Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read in The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock & Dr. Henry Vernier go to Whitby to investigate the legend of the white worm. Can they also bring together 2 young would-be lovers, who are being kept apart? (Own)

[Kenneth Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good and fun read. It was a little weird not having Watson around and having his cousin Henry instead. The last chapter was a little weird explaining why the man didn't want to marry the woman but all in all I truly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down once I stared.

[Derelict Space Sheep · Rating 1 out of 5]

42 WORD REVIEW:

With the moratorium lifted and a massive readership in waiting, wannabe Sherlock Holmes writers the world over are trying to legitimise their fan fiction. Sadly, The White Worm reads nothing like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in terms of style, content or characterisation.

[Stephen Robert Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holmes meets his cousin Dr.Henry Vernier go Whitby on odd case to look for white worm.Buts more Jane Eyre & Wuthering Heights dark & creepy.Its even got lunitic.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok but didn't feel like Sherlock at all. The author also has an issue with Watson that they need to get over.

[Annika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It set the character of Sherlock very similar to the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. At first I was unsure about the 'Henry' character instead of John Watson, but Henry was so well written I found it hard not to find his presence in the story quite pleasant. Lastly, I found the ending of the book not shocking, but surprising, which was very nice because I don't like mysteries that end in predictable ways.